


503: Comfort

by harlequin (julie)



Series: Season 5 [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Episode s05e03 The Death Song of Uther Pendragon, Infidelity, M/M, episode coda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-21
Updated: 2012-10-21
Packaged: 2017-11-16 18:59:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/542771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julie/pseuds/harlequin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin seeks to comfort Arthur once Uther's ghost has been sent from Camelot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	503: Comfort

♦

Merlin crawled into Arthur’s bed once more, and eased close to the man under the heavy weight of blankets and furs. Arthur was lying coiled up on his side, facing the fire that he’d had Merlin pile high with dry wood so that it burned brightly. Merlin moulded himself to Arthur’s warmth, curling up around him, encompassing him. His arms wound around the man, and as if by instinct Arthur’s arms came up to echo his hold, Arthur’s hands flattening over Merlin’s, which spread palms and fingers over Arthur’s chest and stomach. Merlin tucked his head in against Arthur’s, and they both gazed into the hearty flames.

After a while, Arthur said, ‘There’s no need to be scared, Merlin. He’s gone now.’ He added, in a sad whisper despite everything that had happened, ‘He’s gone.’

‘I’m not scared,’ Merlin stoutly replied. ‘I, uh – I just don’t have a bed to go to.’

‘No,’ Arthur agreed.

Guinevere was still in Merlin’s room, being nursed back to health by Gaius, though apparently there was a chance she’d be able to be moved back to her own rooms the following day. A silence stretched as if neither man quite wanted to comment on Arthur’s wife and Merlin’s friend under the circumstances.

Which didn’t seem right to Merlin. On that night at least, honesty seemed to take priority over tact. ‘She’ll be fine,’ Merlin said.

‘Of course.’

‘Gaius knows what he’s doing. He’s very reliable!’

‘I know.’

‘Of course,’ Merlin agreed.

Silence fell, more naturally this time – though neither man seemed inclined to sleep yet. Which was hardly unexpected when they’d just been dealing with the disappointed and vengeful ghost of Uther Pendragon…

After a while, Merlin noted, ‘Your father tried to kill me, too, you know!’

Arthur gusted out a breath. ‘You make it sound as if it’s a badge of honour.’

‘Isn’t it? I’m proud to be part of _your_ Camelot, Arthur.’

‘You were probably just in his way,’ Arthur argued.

‘No, don’t you think it was because he didn’t approve of our… relationship?’

Arthur almost barked a laugh. ‘I’m sure he wouldn’t care that I’m using my manservant for sex.’

‘That’s not all this is.’

‘No,’ Arthur eventually agreed, his voice unwontedly subdued. ‘That’s not all this is.’

‘Let me,’ said Merlin. ‘Let me look after you.’

Arthur just sighed.

It was a comfort thing – like the blazing fire, the pile of blankets, the close enveloping embrace. Merlin slipped his hand down Arthur’s tunic, and down further into the loose britches he wore to bed. It wasn’t that Merlin owed Arthur for that recent instance of reassurance and reward. It wasn’t to balance the boons exchanged between them, but only that he wanted the man to feel loved again, to feel confident and appreciated, to feel whole and competent and kingly.

Arthur’s cock was softly swelling, no more than that – like a plant newly budding – but Merlin loved the man’s cock in all its varied states, and he didn’t doubt his welcome. He soothed the lovely flesh for a moment, feeling it bobble and grow under his palm, then slid a little further to cup cock and balls altogether, massaging with tender certainty, rolling these three precious things in his grasp, pushing his fingers back up to wriggle against sensitive skin and muscle, to trigger the core of him.

Arthur simply lay there for a long while, his breath slowly deepening, until at last his cock pushed hard out of Merlin’s loose grip. And Merlin simply kept going, he didn’t change a thing that he was doing, until eventually Arthur was nothing but need, his breath rasping now – 

And then Arthur reached back with his free arm to hook around Merlin’s neck, to drag him closer, to mouth hungrily at his skin, his cheekbone, then to gnaw at his lips as if pleading. ‘Do it,’ Arthur raggedly commanded, when his silent demands didn’t work. ‘Do it!’

Merlin happily obeyed, and the king completed with a shout that was almost triumphant.

‘I love you,’ Merlin murmured, long afterwards, as the fire at last began to dwindle. 

And Arthur stretched out comfortably, and grasped Merlin’s arm with gratitude. ‘Thank you, Merlin,’ the man said, before slipping away into a peaceful sleep. This man who wasn’t Uther Pendragon in any way that mattered at all.

♦


End file.
